Ex-US Prez Carter to lead polls observation in Nepal

Kathmandu, Apr 02: Former US President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, will arrive here to observe the April 10 Constituent Assembly poll in Nepal. The couple would the lead the Carter Center's international election observation delegation to Nepal.

Former deputy prime minister of Thailand Dr Surakiart Sathirathai would co-lead the delegation with the Carters, a press statement issued by Carter Center said. The Carter Center mission would also include more than 60 observers representing more than 20 different nationalities deployed throughout the country. The leaders are expected to arrive in Kathmandu on April 7 and have a plan to meet the Election Commission officials, political party leaders, representatives of domestic and international election observation delegations, and others.

The team would monitor the polls on election day, the counting process, and handling of challenges. Nepal is holding CA polls for the first time on April 10 to write a new constitution and decide the future of now suspended monarchy.

The Center also expressed concern over the widespread reports of electoral threats and intimidation, particularly by the CPN-Maoist party.

The Center noted that all parties stand to gain significant domestic and international credibility by conducting a successful election on April 10 and encourages all parties to intensify peaceful campaigning efforts.

''I am encouraged to see that the top leadership of the Nepali congress, CPN-UML, and CPN-Maoist have publicly renewed their commitment to a peaceful election process,'' associate director of the Carter Center's Democracy Programme David Pottie said in the statement.